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Welcome to the Streetcar and Vintage Trolley Web Site!
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This site provides an
overview of U.S. streetcar operations-both Vintage Trolley (a.k.a. Heritage Trolley)
and Modern Streetcar. Visit the impressive variety of systems now
in operation and learn about proposals for new systems.
Each page links to local websites and new information is being
added continuously, so check back regularly. Contributions are
always welcome. What
is a Streetcar? "Streetcar" refers to local public transportation using electric vehicles that run on rails. Streetcars are designed to provide short-trip urban circulation, and the vehicles and infrastructure are optimized accordingly. The streetcar alignment can be located in shared traffic lanes or on a segregated right-of-way if one is available. Vehicles typically consist of a single car, ranging from restored heritage cars to modern streetcars imported from Europe. Streetcar systems come in all sizes and so do the organizations that run them- ranging from small non-profits to large municipal transit agencies.
Streetcars are part of the ongoing renaissance which is bringing new life to America's urban centers; as more and more Americans return to the city, the need for new urban transportation solutions grows ever more important. Transportation is the key to creating great public places- and cities across the country are taking a new look at an old idea, the city streetcar. Whether the streetcar is heritage or modern, the goal of helping build livable communities remains the same.
Vintage Trolley vehicles bring their own unique aspects to the table, providing an authentic historic trolley experience that mixes urban transportation with visitor entertainment. The ratio of this mixture varies widely; on some systems the vintage trolleys really are providing a full-fledged transportation function, the vehicles just happen to have an historic theme!
Why
are streetcar systems being built? While each system is different, streetcar projects are typically driven by the need to provide attractive short-trip urban circulation, while facilitating economic development. A streetcar is a proven way to attract "choice" riders (riders who have ready access to a car and are not transit dependent), a significant advantage over rubber-tired alternatives. By connecting together key activity centers, parking and other forms of transit with convenient service levels, the streetcar becomes the key to creating a vibrant cityscape that is attractive to all. Visitors and residents alike can see and do more within a given district when a convenient streetcar service links many of their destinations together. Stops are spaced relatively close together, and the streetcar thus becomes a "pedestrian accelerator", facilitating trips that are part walking, part streetcar.
In addition to their mobility benefits, streetcars with well-planned routes have an excellent track record of being a catalyst for positive urban change. The fixed nature of the rail infrastructure implies permanence- it's going to be there as a community resource for the long run. This can be a key ingredient in helping communities maximize public/private investment. The streetcar is also highly visible, has an easily understood route, and the quiet, pollution-free electric vehicles blend in well with the community.
Streetcar systems are
also much less expensive to build and operate than conventional rail
systems. Infrastructure is simpler, consistent with the lower
speeds and circulator function. Because it is easily integrated into the built urban
environment, streetcars cost significantly less per mile than higher capacity,
longer-distance Light Rail systems. Both have their roles to play in the
public transit arena of course, and some cities are using a streetcar as a precursor to a new
Light Rail system, offering a low-cost
"demonstrator" line that can later be extended or incorporated into a
larger system.
Replica trolleys and other new vehicles Accompanying the growing
interest in streetcar systems, the marketplace now has many choices in
new vehicles. Whether a replica "heritage" car from
companies such as Gomaco
or Brookville,
or a "modern" car from Inekon
or United
Streetcar, vehicles are readily available. Whole fleets of replica heritage cars have also been produced in-house; the New Orleans RTA partnered with suppliers
and built 23 of its own cars in 2002. Other cities, such
as Philadelphia, opted for a total rebuild of vintage PCC type
streetcars, stripping them to a shell and applying new equipment to create what is essentially a new car. Costs for
a replica car currently begin around $900,000 for an air conditioned
double-truck vehicle (using rebuilt vintage running gear and modern control
equipment). A typical diesel transit bus costs about half as much, but has a shorter service
life (17 years vs. 25 for trolley / streetcar / LRV). A modern
light rail vehicle or modern streetcar costs between $3.5 and $4.5M. Go to the Replica
Trolley Cars page for a complete roster of all replica cars built to
date, with facts and figures (including cost) on each. |
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Gomaco replica heritage car Capacity: 88 passengers; 44 seated, 44 standing
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New Vehicles: Heritage or Modern? New streetcar vehicles can be purchased in either "Modern" or "Heritage" form. Modern and Heritage streetcars both utilize essentially the same infrastructure; the tracks and overhead wire are easily integrated into the built urban environment using relatively low-impact construction techniques. Both Heritage and Modern cars can be air conditioned, and both can provide a comfortable ride given the short trip times involved.
There are differences in the vehicles to be sure; Modern Streetcars can achieve level boarding with relative ease, and of course they provide the ultra-modern appearance which may be desirable depending on other project elements. Some cities (such as Portland) have operated both Heritage and Modern cars on the same route. It should also be noted that the technology gap is narrowing, with replica heritage cars becoming increasingly modern "under the hood".
There are also significant differences in vehicle cost and complexity, a modern replica car selling from about $900,000 and a modern articulated streetcar at over $3M (the vehicle is also larger, see sidebar). The replica vintage cars are also readily available and US-built, avoiding the Buy America issues that have confronted some agencies buying the present generation of off-the-shelf vehicle from Inekon and other world suppliers. That situation is changing however, as world suppliers such as Siemens, Bombardier and Alstom expand their US-manufacturing capabilities. Also, United Streetcar has now introduced a US-manufactured version of the Inekon streetcar. (click here for a related story).
In the final analysis, a host of local factors will play into the decision of which vehicle type should be used, but both can provide effective urban circulation that is attractive to riders and helps promote livable cities. Click here for a presentation given at the 2007 APTA Rail Transit Conference exploring this topic further (1.9M pdf file). |
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Bombardier Flexity modern streetcar Capacity: 178 passengers; 50 seated 128 standing |
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Inekon/Skoda modern streetcar Capacity: 156 passengers; 30 seated, 127 standing |
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For
more information For more background
information on streetcars, USA Today published Cities
Rediscover Allure of Streetcars in 2007. An update on the national
wave of streetcar interest and related funding issues was published in
the December
2008 issue of Metro Magazine. For a more in-depth look at streetcars in the context of urban planning, consult "Bring
Back the Streetcars, A Conservative Vision of Tomorrow's
Transportation" by Paul Weyrich and William Lind, available in
pdf format on the National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates
website.
For additional information on the advantages of rail transit in general, browse over to the Light Rail Now! website. |
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